The PNP chief, however, says the organization still has 'high morale' and that most of his 160,000 men and women continue to support him
PNP CHIEF. Director General Ronald dela Rosa (center, in blue) during the Senate probe into the death of the late Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. Photo by LeAnne Jazul/Rappler
Kayong mga pulis kayo na sindikato, tingnan natin. Kayo’y nakaharap ng katapat na opisyal na lalaban sa inyo. Tang-ina ninyo, tingnan natin. Kita-kita tayo." (You police who are part of drug syndicates, let's see. You've met your match. Sons of bitches, let's see. We'll face each other.)
A day after he cried at the Senate because he was angry and frustrated over cops with alleged links to the drug trade, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa on Thursday, November 24, lashed out against police supposedly plotting his ouster.
The secret plot, said Dela Rosa, was supposedly being hatched by police who were – or are still – involved in the illegal drugs trade and want their "happy days" to continue.
"Meron. In fact, merong gumagalaw nga diyan na i-a-oust ako sa pagiging PNP chief na ngayon, nagsusumikap na matanggal ako para tuloy ang ligaya nila," said Dela Rosa on the sidelines of a House of Representatives hearing into the spread of illegal drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison.
(We know about that. In fact, there are police plotting my ouster as PNP chief. They're making an effort to remove me so their happy days will continue.)
Dela Rosa was asked if the PNP had intelligence information on cops involved in illegal drugs.
On Wednesday, November 23, Dela Rosa broke down before a Senate committee probing the death of the late Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr, an alleged drug lord coddler.
During the hearing, Espinosa's son and chief witness, alleged Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, claimed several commissioned police officers from Leyte province had received protection money from him.
Two of those officials – former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 8 chief Superintendent Marvin Marcos and Albuera top cop Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido – were at the hearing themselves.
Both officials denied the allegations.
Marcos supervised and approved the police operation inside the Leyte sub-provincial jail that resulted in the death of Mayor Espinosa. Espenido, whom Dela Rosa had tasked to eliminate the drug problem in Albuera, was the cop who conducted several police operations against the Espinosas.
"There are [commissioned] officials, non-commissioned personnel who have been relieved. They want to challenge me. And they move in secret because they know I will not back down," said Dela Rosa, when pressed about the alleged plot to oust him.
He said information about the alleged ouster plan was "new."
"Magsabi lang sila kung saan nila gusto. Sabihin nila kung gusto nila suntukan, gusto nila barilan, gusto nila saksakan, gusto nila mixed martial arts? Gusto nila, kahit ano. Sabihin nila. 'Di ko sila aatrasan, mga gago sila," added Dela Rosa. (They should just tell me where they want it. Do they want a fistfight, a gun duel, they want a knife fight, or mixed martial arts? Whatever they want is fine with me. They should just let me know. I will not back down from those fools.)
Shades of Purisima?
Dela Rosa declined to give more specifics because it might cause media to "speculate."
He did, however, compare his situation now to that of another former PNP chief, Alan Purisima.
After a relatively quiet first year as former president Benigno Aquino III's PNP chief, Purisima was inundated by allegation after allegation of corruption.
In late 2014, he was preventively suspended by the Ombudsman for 6 years over a dubious case between the PNP's Firearms and Explosives Office and a courier company.
In early 2015, Purisima once again faced controversy over his involvement in a top-secret police operation that resulted in the death of more than 60 Filipinos, including 44 elite cops. (READ: Crisis before Mamasapano: A tale of 2 PNP chiefs)
He resigned as PNP chief and was later dismissed from service by the Ombudsman.
Dela Rosa, President Rodrigo Duterte's first pick to lead the PNP, said Purisima's misfortunes were the result of "infighting" in the PNP.
Factions did form in the PNP then, particularly between officials who sided with Purisima and officials who associated themselves with former interior chief Manuel Roxas II.
This time, said Dela Rosa, the "small" faction that wants him out is composed of corrupt police who want to "always rule the world."
He said they were only a minority and that most of the PNP was still on his side.
"High morale. The PNP has high morale," he declared.
Dela Rosa himself is the subject of an Ombudsman probe over an all-expenses paid trip to Las Vegas, courtesy of long-time friend Senator Manny Pacquiao.
To his detractors, Dela Rosa said: "I will just continue to do the best I can because I know majority of cops are decent. Those involved with criminal syndicates, those planning bad things against me, we will isolate them. We will identify them, we will consolidate, and we will crush them."
Dela Rosa has been leading the PNP's efforts in Duterte's war on drugs.
The popular but controversial campaign, thus far, has claimed over 4,900 lives – in police operations and in suspected vigilante killings. Police themselves have been accused of resorting to extrajudicial killings, a claim Dela Rosa has vehemently denied.
At the Senate, former PNP chief Senator Panfilo Lacson urged Dela Rosa to exert more effort into addressing the problem of "cleansing" by cops involved in the drug trade.
Lacson, pointing out specific instances, said cops were resorting to apparent extrajudicial killings to cover their role in dalliances in the illegal drug trade.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/153493-dela-rosa-war-on-drugs-pnp-oust
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